Posted 5 years ago on Oct. 27, 2011, 6:08 p.m. EST by TIOUAISE
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Jesus did not loathe the rich. In fact, he is known to have had a number of rich friends. Mary of Magdala was rumored to be well-to-do but she shared selflessly. In fact, Mary, Joanna and Susanna were the first patrons of the "Jesus Movement". That's clearly stated in the Gospel of Luke :

"After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out ; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means." (Luke 8: 1-3)

So Jesus never "hated the rich". He only rebuked the GREEDY, SOCIOPATHIC rich who refused to share with the less fortunate : "WOE UNTO THE RICH!" (Luke 6: 24). He would have a field day here in contemporary America! In fact, Jesus would probably have been the very first person to OCCUPY WALL STREET!!!

An essential - and so far rather neglected - part of this Great American Struggle will be fought ON THE RELIGIOUS LEVEL. As you say, a large segment of the "irreligious right" is comprised of hypocrites, who claim to be "Christian" but who are the very antithesis of "Christic", i.e. Christ-like or Christ-inspired. The same sort of people that Jesus upbraided without mincing words : "You hypocrites!!! You whitewashed tombs!!!"(Matthew 23:27)

Jesus also said that "It would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle that for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (heaven)" Matthew 19:24

Not beceause rich people are evil but because their love of money so often consumes them. He also said that true and faultless religion was taking care of widows and orphans and loving God.

If only those that claim to follow Jesus lived by what he taught, we would have a better world. You wouldnt have had people burned at the steak, bloody crusades, or a historically corrupt church (Vatican).

Religion is inane. What relevance do the superstitious babblings of bronze age desert dwelling primitives have to people living today? People only believe in that crap because they can't accept the fact that they cease to exist when they die.

Whether or not religions promote social jusice is in the eye of the beholder; book that says people shouod be killed for not honoring the sabbath or diobeying parents as the Bible does doesn't sound like social justice to me. Religion is irrational; why do you need to hold unevidenced, supernatural beliefs to believe in social justice? You mention Old Testament prophets; the Old Testament is full of hate, murder, and zealotry. You're entitled to your beliefs but you can't deny the facts.

It had nothing to do with the state, and the suggestion that the bronze age was orderly is absurd. The ten commandments say "thou shall not kill", but at the same time the old testament is loaded with reasons to kill. Obviously there are so many scriptures written so vaguely and contradictory that a true believer can always interpret things as they like and overlook what they don't.

The point is they're just books written by people, not instructions from 'the great beyond'. In fact, people from a long, long time ago who were very ignorant and superstitious. You may find some words of wisdom there if you look hard enough, but the same can be said of the Norse Sagas or the Egyptian gods or Roman gods or the countless untold gods created worshipped and forgotten to history. It's dangerous, in my opinion, to ground one's morality in the writings of superstitious ancients.

The one fact that you have over looked is that one man without a country without "a People" without taxes or money changed this world more than any other man in history. He did it with Love, with out intimation, without killing, tourchering or any form of abuse.. And his name more than any other still lives today ....Jesus. As I said Jesus did not kill anyone nor made anyone obey him like the Roman s and Egyptians did. The Killing, dishonoring etc that you memtion in the Old Testament was done for a reason.............its was part of the old covent with God through Abraham and Mosses. I can tell you have read the Bible but everyone get something different out of if. The facts in the Bible have been confirmed with history books not just in the usa but all over the world. I'm not arguing with you I'm just saying that cutting down Reglion and trying to make that the problem won't solve anything.

WORD. And following Jesus should be the opposite of religion. Jesus despised religion and now those that say they follow him are just wrapped up in religious, legalistic actions and judgments. Jesus calls us to love one another, walk the extra mile, turn the cheek if struck, have patience, and be humble. Forget what men have done in the name of religion. No one can deny that what Jesus taught was wrong.

You write : "You may find some words of wisdom there if you look hard enough, but the same can be said of the Norse Sagas or the Egyptian gods or Roman gods or the countless untold gods created worshipped and forgotten to history." And again, I have to agree with you... at least with that part. Wisdom is to be found EVERYWHERE and no individual or group is entitled to claim possession of perfect wisdom. But for millions of us, people like the Dalai Lama or Nelson Mandela or Aung San Suu Kyi are a source of inspiration...

The Buddha did NOT ask his followers to "believe" him. In fact, he told them : "Don't believe anything I say... TRY these ideas OUT for yourself, TEST them in your own lives and if they work for you, fine. If not, try something else". THE PERFECT TEACHER!